Casino table games, particularly casino card games that include progressive wagers, have proven to be highly popular among players. The progressive wager is a side bet that does not essentially affect the play of the base or underlying game, such as Twenty-One (Blackjack) or variants thereof. The progressive wager is one in which at least some of the amounts waged by players can be applied to a progressive jackpot. The amount in the progressive jackpot, and the amount that can be won, can increase over rounds of play. It is also common practice to have the progressive jackpot depend on play from multiple tables located in a single casino, which can be extended to multiple tables located in more than one casino. Large numbers of tables associated with a common progressive jackpot can substantially affect the amount in the progressive jackpot.
Many patents have issued over the years describing different games that include progressive wagers. These include a number of table game patents that include progressive wagers, such as: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,836,553; 4,861,041; 5,078,405; 5,288,077; 5,472,194; 5,626,341; 5,795,225; 6,299,534; and 7,367,884. Some of these patents also describe specific means and methods for determining whether a progressive wager was placed using a gaming token or chip. U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,405 issued Jan. 7, 1992 to Jones et al. discloses the use of a coin acceptor or slot into which a gaming token is inserted when a progressive bet is made. Control circuitry senses the inserted token and functions with other electronic elements to control a progressive jackpot meter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,194 issued Dec. 5, 1995 to Breeding et al. describes the use of pressure switches that are activated by the players in conjunction with making progressive wagers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,534 issued Oct. 9, 2001 to Breeding et al. discloses a non-photoelectric proximity sensor that is used in detecting a gaming token when it is used to make a progressive wager. These non-photoelectric sensors include inductive, capacitive and/or ultrasonic sensors. U.S. Pat. No. 7,367,884 issued May 6, 2008 to Breeding et al. discusses a photoelectric sensor that provides modulated light in connection with detecting whether a gaming token is present that is indicative of a progressive wager being made. In connection with another embodiment, this patent describes a photoelectric sensor that senses ambient light. A gaming token that is present essentially blocks ambient light. This causes the photoelectric sensor to turn off, thereby indicating that a token is present.
Many systems and methods have been devised for use in playing casino games having a progressive jackpot. Based on the popularity of these games, opportunities exist to identify and develop novel concepts that further appeal to the large numbers of players who play casino games with progressive features. Numerous technologies have also been used or advanced related to determining whether a progressive wager was made as part of playing a casino table game. It would be additionally beneficial to provide an innovative design for sensing a gaming token used to make a wager involving a progressive and/or fixed amount related payout, and then use that detected information to properly control results of such a wager.